Ph.D.:
Ph.D. in Agrobiotechnology for tropical productions (13/04/2012, three years), University of Florence (Italy). The aim of the research was to highlight the effects of the sound waves on maize root during the gravitropism. For this reason, I learned the biophysics basic techniques using a micro-scanning LDV (Laser Doppler Vibrometer).
Master Degree:
Master Degree in Science and Agricultural Technologies (28/04/2008, five years), University of Florence (Italy). The aim of my thesis was the effects on growth of grapevine after the implementation of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) microchips into the rootstock. The modified plants were totally indistinguishable from unmarked plants, and they can maintain this electronic feature throughout their entire existence. By this feature, plants can be monitored easily, and they will be able to supply innumerable information: data about their origin, growth parameter, productivity and more.
International Master course:
I attended the 15th Bologna winter school - Bioinformatics for biological complexity 2014, University of Bologna (International Master Course in Bioinformatics - School of Science). I passed the final examination with marks 30/30.
Editorial Board:
International Master course:
I attended the 15th Bologna winter school - Bioinformatics for biological complexity 2014, University of Bologna (International Master Course in Bioinformatics - School of Science). I passed the final examination with marks 30/30.
Editorial Board:
Journal Topic Board Member for Biology (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/biology/topic_editors);
Research experiences:
- I performed an international research activity at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, UK. I worked with prof. Daniel Robert and dr. Fernando Montealegre-Z studying the effect of low-frequency sound waves on plants. I developed and conducted experiments on the growth behaviour of maize roots in the presence of different environmental conditions, including the presence of substrate vibrations.
- Research activity at the European Space Agency (ESA)
http://www.esa.int/esaMI/Education/SEM9O3KOXDG_0.html
results: http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/edu/SYT/SYT2010_ExpReport_LINV_UNIFI.pdf
- Research activity at the Agriculture Research Council - Research Unit for Viticulture (Arezzo, Italy): the first aim of this activity was to valorise the germplasm vineyard collection, composed of 420 grapevine accession of Vitis vinifera L., using a contactless smart card linked to specific web pages. A mobile device was used to identify the collected plants in the collection and a database was specially developed for each accession. The web collection platform was developed using LAMP architecture and MySQL was the database, managed using Drupal software. The database built in this project offers fundamental support regarding the biodiversity of the grapevines collected in the vineyard.
- I performed a collaboration, at the University of Pisa - CREA - CNR, in studying a new non-invasive method to investigate the leaf water content. This method has been patented.
Computer skills:
Windows; MAC; Linux; Internet; Microsoft Office; Drupal (PHP); ImageJ; Prism Graphpad; Costat CoHort; Photoshop; ImageTool; Leaf GUI; Matlab (basic).